Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[ValerieJ]

This all makes total sense to me. And I should say at the start that I have zero experience of broody hens. What I don't understand is why on BYC there are so many horror stories about hens wasting away sitting on nests for what sounds like weeks even when there aren't any eggs.
In nature if a bird loses its eggs (eg if a predator takes them) I believe the bird eventually abandons the nest and may even move on to create a new one.
So is all the fuss about broodiness on BYC because today's hens (not @Shadrach 's obviously) are bred to have lost that instinct to move on when a nest isn't viable? Or is it over-anxious chicken-keepers?

I have watched two of my hens hatch chicks and both lost weight. The first one did moreso, because I read the same things you did and just assumed that's how it was to be. She had her own coop complete with water and food, and I'd say she lost a significant amount of weight. I even took her out each day for the first 10 days or so to get her to eat and poop. I always kept food and water in the coop with her.

But, this time, with Surly, I didn't do that. Surly came out on her own each day for the first couple weeks. Then, when she decided to stay in, I didn't take her out. Again, I had food and water in the coop with her, a small 4x4 coop with its own run, intended for my broodies. This time I actually would bring some grains and put them right in front of her on the straw each day, just about a tablespoon full. That way if she didn't get up to eat, I knew she would be eating something. She didn't come out at all the last week, and would just move her eggs to another part of the coop if she left a poop, and I would clean that up whenever it happened. I kept a close eye on her.

All that to say, she did not lose as much weight as Shirl did. In fact, it didn't look like she lost any weight at all. I could only tell by picking her up.

Poor Shirl. Neither she nor I had any experience to draw from.

So, as a novice at this business of allowing hens to raise their own chicks, I'd say it's the conditions. An outside wild hen will find some food right around her nest, bugs, foliage, etc. Around here she would get dew in the mornings for water. Not sure about the drier climates.

 

[micstrachan]

I've come to the conclusion that trying to cool them down doesn't really work. Here it takes about three days for broodiness to switch off. It doesn't seem to matter what the circumstances are in that period of time. The rise in body temperature I believe is hormone driven, largely independent of outside factors. As long as they don't have a nest to sit in with eggs, all here switch themselves off over time.

Thanks. That’s good feedback. This morning she is acting like a normal, non-broody hen. So far, anyway.

 

[micstrachan]

Happy Saturday morning! At least, that’s when it is in California. This is my absolute favorite… When it’s still cool and fresh out, pacing around with my coffee, throwing the occasional ball for the dog and watching the chickens do their thing. Ah! Paradise!

Of course, this is the day that the flock decided to discover and investigate Poison Oak Forest. I think I’ve shared with you a picture of my swollen face when I had poison oak a couple years ago.

 

[RoyalChick]

Yeah, sorry about that.

Oh no! Don't apologize. It was informative and interesting as always.

 

[RoyalChick]

Happy Saturday morning! At least, that’s when it is in California. This is my absolute favorite… When it’s still cool and fresh out, pacing around with my coffee, throwing the occasional ball for the dog and watching the chickens do their thing. Ah! Paradise!

Of course, this is the day that the flock decided to discover and investigate Poison Oak Forest. I think I’ve shared with you a picture of my swollen face when I had poison oak a couple years ago.

Yikes - don't pet the chickens now! How long does it take to no longer be 'active' on their feathers? Or do you have to wash them? Nasty stuff - we don't have it here - but we have poison ivy which is just as nasty.

 

[BY Bob]

Happy Saturday morning! At least, that’s when it is in California. This is my absolute favorite… When it’s still cool and fresh out, pacing around with my coffee, throwing the occasional ball for the dog and watching the chickens do their thing. Ah! Paradise!

Of course, this is the day that the flock decided to discover and investigate Poison Oak Forest. I think I’ve shared with you a picture of my swollen face when I had poison oak a couple years ago.

That really is a poison oak forest! Yikes! That will need professional cleansing. I would not voluntarily get anywhere near that!

 

[micstrachan]

I was so excited to see a long post from you. I figured I would learn something and I have. You never disappoint. Thank you for taking the time to let us know what you have learned.

It is good to hear that they don't seem to lose significant weight. I assumed that they did. I do not have a lot of experience with broodies. I just figured from Maleficent's behavior she had to lose weight.

I do believe that it has to be a stressful time for them. Anything outside of a normal routine changes the stress level. I would never underestimate the effect that stress has on any being.

I appreciate the long post, too, Shad. I’m wondering if it’s just an Illusion when I think Cashew has lost weight. She’s so fluffy, and she is an orpington. She really should be the second heaviest in my flock. But she never has been. Compared to some of the other girls, she’s been on the thinner side, but I can’t really tell until I handle her. And when she gets broody, I handle her more than normal. I was weighing them every couple of months-ish last year. Maybe I should start that back up. But today I’m not too keen on handling them, since they’re having the time of their lives in poison oak forest. Seriously, they are having so much fun, it might be enough to keep Cashew away from the coop today. I still have to handle Ruby twice a day for her meds, and I still have Dorothy on calcium. I’m not sure how I’m gonna get around handling them. Yikes.

As far as the trance, yes! I am familiar with it. The only one of mine who has gotten super broody is Cashew. Bagheera got slightly broody before, Buttercup goes a little bit trance-like occasionally. I’m sure there are others. But those the ones that stick out in my mind right now.

And while I know it is far from it, as a USA backyard chicken person, I do try to simulate nature as close as I’m comfortable with for them. They’re still in a run during the day if I can’t be outside with them with the dog. And there are no roosters. Yes, yes. I know that arrangement is not at all natural. But I do try to provide as much free range time as possible, And I enhance their run with perches, leaves, sticks, grass clippings, etc.

Sorry if I’m sounding defensive. I know I shouldn’t have to justify my position. I’m constantly learning and trying to improve things for them as I learn more about them. I think we all are.

 

[micstrachan]

Yikes - don't pet the chickens now! How long does it take to no longer be 'active' on their feathers? Or do you have to wash them? Nasty stuff - we don't have it here - but we have poison ivy which is just as nasty.

I’m not really sure what’s going to happen here. I may just have to be sure to wash my clothes and have a quick shower after handling them. I am hopeful that a lot of dust bathing will help remove those nasty oil’s.

 

[micstrachan]

That really is a poison oak forest! Yikes! That will need professional cleansing. I would not voluntarily get anywhere near that!

Some of it is a different type of vine, and some of it is just the old California live oak branches hanging down, but there’s lots of poison oak in between. And I can’t really tell which is poison oak unless there are the telltale leaves.
This is such a great spot for them, though, so yeah, I think I’ll have to get somebody out here soon to remove most of it. At least the bottom 10 feet.

 

[ValerieJ]

I appreciate the long post, too, Shad. I’m wondering if it’s just an Illusion when I think Cashew has lost weight. She’s so fluffy, and she is an orpington. She really should be the second heaviest in my flock. But she never has been. Compared to some of the other girls, she’s been on the thinner side, but I can’t really tell until I handle her. And when she gets broody, I handle her more than normal. I was weighing them every couple of months-ish last year. Maybe I should start that back up. But today I’m not too keen on handling them, since they’re having the time of their lives in poison oak forest. Seriously, they are having so much fun, it might be enough to keep Cashew away from the coop today. I still have to handle Ruby twice a day for her meds, and I still have Dorothy on calcium. I’m not sure how I’m gonna get around handling them. Yikes.

As far as the trance, yes! I am familiar with it. The only one of mine who has gotten super broody is Cashew. Bagheera got slightly broody before, Buttercup goes a little bit trance-like occasionally. I’m sure there are others. But those the ones that stick out in my mind right now.

And while I know it is far from it, as a USA backyard chicken person, I do try to simulate nature as close as I’m comfortable with for them. They’re still in a run during the day if I can’t be outside with them with the dog. And there are no roosters. Yes, yes. I know that arrangement is not at all natural. But I do try to provide as much free range time as possible, And I enhance their run with perches, leaves, sticks, grass clippings, etc.

Sorry if I’m sounding defensive. I know I shouldn’t have to justify my position. I’m constantly learning and trying to improve things for them as I learn more about them. I think we all are.

Sounds like you are a great chicken mom to me!!! I'm not sure I have heard anyone else who weighs their chickens every couple months. And it's great that they get to free range some of the time when you are around, but are kept safe in their run when you're not.

I'm trying to create a similar situation here. They semi-free range in my little orchard now. It is pretty secure, but not 100%. This year we are building a very secure run inside that free range space so I can keep them safe when I'm not around.

I found out last year that I do not have the heart for predator attacks.

So, keep up the great work for your chickens!